# 1938 in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1938 to Wales and its people.

## Incumbents

* Archbishop of Wales – Charles Green, Bishop of Bangor
* Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – J.J.

## Events

* 14–19 January – A storm causes extensive damage in Aberystwyth; the promenade and pier are largely destroyed by 90 mph winds.
* 8 May – William Ormsby-Gore succeeds his father as Baron Harlech.
* October – The first scheduled night flight in the UK begins operating between Cardiff and Weston-super-Mare.
* 23 November – Opening of the Temple of Peace and Health in Cathays Park, Cardiff.
* Mining comes to an end at Dolaucothi Gold Mines.
* The excavation of Llantwit Major Roman Villa by V. E. Nash-Williams, begins (continues to 1948).
* Opening of RNAD Trecwm.

## Arts and literature

* April – Augustus John resigns from the Royal Academy.
* September – Ivor Novello appears in Henry V at Drury Lane Theatre, produced by Lewis Casson.

### Awards

* National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Cardiff)
* National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair – Gwilym R. Jones
* National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown – Edgar H. Thomas
* National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal – Elena Puw Morgan

### New books
#### In English

* Idris Davies – Gwalia Deserta
* Ness Edwards – History of the South Wales Miners Federation
* Richard Hughes – In Hazard
* Jack Jones – Bidden to the Feast
* Edith Picton-Turbervill – Myself When Young
* William Plomer (ed.) – Kilvert's Diary, 1870-1879

#### In Welsh

* Richard Bennett – Methodistiaeth Caersws
* Tom Beynon – Gwrid ar Orwel ym Morgannwg
* Edward Tegla Davies – Stori Sam
* Edward Morgan Humphreys – Dirgelwch Gallt Y Ffrwd
* Ifor Williams (ed.) – Canu Aneirin

### New drama

* James Kitchener Davies – Susannah
* Charles Langbridge Morgan – The Flashing Stream
* Emlyn Williams – The Corn is Green

### Music

* Tudor Davies plays the lead in the first English-language production of Verdi's Don Carlos, at Sadler's Wells.

## Film

* Naunton Wayne appears as Caldicott in The Lady Vanishes.

## Broadcasting

* 1 March – BBC Radio broadcasts the world première of Arwel Hughes's latest composition, Tydi a Roddaist.

## Sport

* Empire Games
** Wales win three medals at the 1938 Empire Games, Denis Reardon, (middleweight boxing), Jim Alford (1 mile run) and Jeanne Greenland (110 yard backstroke).
* Rugby union
** 5 February – Scotland beat Wales 8–6 at Murrayfield, Edinburgh

## Births

* 6 January – William Edwards, politician (d. 2007)
* 1 February – Cynog Dafis, politician
* 22 January – Brook Williams, actor (d. 2005)
* 2 March – Deddie Davies, actress (d. 2016)
* 20 April – Andrew Vicari, portrait painter (d. 2016)
* 25 April – John Davies, historian (d. 2015)
* 14 May – Clive Rowlands, rugby player and coach (d. 2023)
* 25 May – Trevor Peck, footballer (d. 2014)
* 31 May – John Prescott, Deputy Prime Minister of the UK (d. 2024)
* 13 June – Gwynne Howell, bass
* 6 July – Tony Lewis, cricketer and commentator
* 23 July – Meic Stephens, literary editor (d. 2018)
* 6 August – Rees Davies, historian (d. 2005)
* 12 September
** Richard Booth, secondhand bookseller (d. 2019)
** Patrick Mower, Welsh-descended actor
* 9 October – Denzil Davies, politician (d. 2018)
* 22 October – Dai Davies , English-born Welsh sports journalist (d. 2008)
* 1 November – Delwyn Williams, politician
* 4 December – Richard Meade, equestrian (d. 2015)
* 15 December – Michael Bogdanov, theatre director (d. 2017 in Greece)

## Deaths

* 3 February – James Bevan, First Wales rugby union captain, 81
* 9 February – Dick Hellings, Wales international rugby player, 63
* 30 March – Jack Elliott, Wales international rugby player, 66
* 16 April – Sir William Price, industrialist
* 8 May – George Ormsby-Gore, 3rd Baron Harlech, 83
* 28 May – Alfred Brice, Wales international rugby player, 66
* 23 June – Clement Edwards, politician, 69
* 22 July – Giotto Griffiths, Wales international rugby player, 73
* 22 October (in Dublin) – Sir John Purser Griffith, civil engineer, 90
* 4 November – John Thomas Job, minister, hymn-writer and poet, 71
* 28 November – Reginald Arthur (Reggie) Gibbs, shipowner and rugby footballer, 56
* 29 December (at sea) – Eluned Morgan, writer, 68
* date unknown – Gwynfil Evans (Barry Western), novelist